Hermès, 170 years of understated elegance.

In a world of mass marketing and sweat factories it is hard to believe in or actually find a true luxury item. Looking through magazines you will find people spending thousands of dollars on things that a million other rich people have the exact copy of. Luxury has somehow managed to lose itself in this greedy copy cat world. Thats where Hermès comes rolling in like a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day.

With 75,000 items on their current product list, most are still hand made. This is a house that is still 72% family owned, controlled by a minimal 60 family members (many who actually WORK for the brand, not just collect quarterly earnings statements) Hermès is making a statement that the rest of the fashion world better start paying attention to. Last year they netted $433 million. Yup I said netted, as in their worldwide sales were, ready? $2.45 BILLION. Not to shabby for a company that still cares about quality over quantity.

Hermès started out as a mere saddle maker and turned into a revolutionary fashion leader. They actually pride themselves on listening to what their clients want. Yes they have a legendary special orders department, like say for instance you have a, I don't know just for kicks, a roll of pink silk that sat in your great grandmothers dusty old house till it was passed down to you. This cloth is beautiful, but really what are you going to do with it that is going to be worth it? Your going to send it over to the special orders department where 1 single person is going to turn it into a Birkin bag over a total of 17 hours. That bag is going to be the light of your life. Yes it is going to cost you a small fortune but the amount of time and expertise that goes into its construction is going to last for generations. Also the satisfaction you will have that no one else on the entire planet has that bag. No unappreciative 17 year old Manhattan heiress with money to burn and no brains to speak of is going to plop down HER pink silk Birkin bag next yours at some over priced Soho martini bar. Refreshing thought isn't it?

Modern yet traditional. Playful and serious. Always a head of the game. Hermès I salute you for remembering the real meaning behind luxury.